Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. could miss a number of days as he goes through the NBA's health and safety protocols, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Porter will miss his team's matchup on Friday against the Phoenix Suns, and it's unclear how many more games he'll be unavailable for.

Charania indicated that Porter will enter protocols due to contact tracing reasons, rather than a positive COVID-19 test.

According to Mike Singer of The Denver Post, the team expects Porter to be out “multiple games” after his contact tracing protocol started on Thursday:

Article Continues Below
More Denver Nuggets News
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) runs down the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second quarter during game seven of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center.
Nikola Jokic’s wild ‘Joker’ origin story from Mike MillerBenedetto Vitale ·
Serbia and Denver Nuggets power forward Nikola Jokic (15) celebrates on the podium with teammates after winning the bronze medal in men's basketball during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena.
Novak Djokovic shuts down ‘fake’ Nikola Jokic narrativeTroy Finnegan ·
Denver Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman in the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder during game six of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena.
David Adelman parts ways with several key members of Nuggets’ coaching staffTroy Finnegan ·
Denver Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke (left) and president Josh Kroenke (right) during the championship parade after the Denver Nuggets won the 2023 NBA Finals
Josh Kroenke puts his foot down on potential Nuggets ‘cultural reset’Rachel Strand ·
Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman points down the court during a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second quarter during game seven of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center.
Nuggets’ David Adelman reveals what needs to change in DenverJackson Stone ·
Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) reacts with forward Jalen Williams (8) in the second half during game four of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center with the Nuggets and Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault in the background
How Nuggets took Thunder to championship levelJosue Pavon ·

Porter is having a strong start to the 2020-21 season — his first as a starter and the team's unassailable third option. The 22-year-old is averaging 19.5 points and 6.8 rebounds through four outings, with red-hot .566/.423/.875 shooting splits.

Despite Porter's promising play in a larger role, the Nuggets have gotten off to a slow start to the season. Coming off their run to the Western Conference Finals in the bubble, Michael Malone's team has just one win in four games.

Most recently, the Nuggets fell to the Sacramento Kings, 125-115, at the Golden 1 Center on Tuesday. That game also marked Michael Porter Jr.'s best performance of the young season, as the forward dropped 30 points on 12-for-18 shooting, grabbed 10 rebounds, and blocked two shots. He sank four of his seven 3-point attempts.

After facing Phoenix on Friday, the Nuggets will have a home-and-home with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday (in Minnesota) and Tuesday (in Denver), followed by a national TV matchup with the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday.